Nouakchott, Mauritania
Soldiers loyal to Mauritanian President Maaouiya Sid Ahmed Ould Taya beat back a coup attempt this week. Rebel forces took over the presidential palace and killed the army chief of staff before government troops routed them. “The patriotic forces beat this plot,” said Ould Taya, who has ruled autocratically since leading a bloodless coup in 1984. Mauritanian newspapers speculated that the rebel attack was provoked by a recent government crackdown on Islamic radicals. A former French colony, Mauritania was one of Iraq’s main allies in Africa until the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991, when it supported the U.S.-led coalition. The desert country has a mostly Muslim population and belongs to the Arab League.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Will there be peace before Christmas in Ukraine?Today's Big Question Discussions over the weekend could see a unified set of proposals from EU, UK and US to present to Moscow
-
Quiz of The Week: 6 – 12 DecemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures A man's best friend, the elephants in the room, and more
